You guys do any snowmobiling up in Old Forge? I used to live not far from there before I moved to sunny SoCal. With the improvements in sleds over the years, it must be a blast to rip around that area in the winter.
Re: Winter tires - If you haven't already done so, I would call Tire Rack for a suggestion on the best snow tire for dry pavement. Their phone people are usually pretty knowledgable, their prices are great, and they are a supporting vendor for this site